Book: Confessions of a Corporate Slut by Jacqueline Gum

Jacqueline Gum

about this book: A woman's role in marriage has been in a state of evolution since Adam and Eve. But the 70s and 80s were a confusing time. Most women had traditional role models in their mothers and grandmothers who were the typical stay-at-home moms of the era.

But the feminist movement was steaming ahead with a clear message that women could "have it all." During this time, there was a segment of women who blended those philosophies by becoming "professional" corporate wives.

In this story, Roberta Wendall sells her successful company, and applies her business acumen to the growth of her husband's company. Working unpaid and behind the scenes, her advice is sought by her husband's minions and even industry professionals who are aware of her role. At the same time, she masters a specific skill set by becoming the ultimate hostess to his many business associates.

She's unaware that her much directed creation of her husband's image, resulting in the dynamic growth of his company, is chipping away at her very substance.

It isn't until he surreptitiously dumps her that she realizes that she created a world for him, yet is left standing outside the gates peering in. Divorce, to her, was like being fired from a well-earned executive position.

Her journey is filled with irony and wry humor as she slowly comes to grips with the knowledge that she was complicit in her own destruction.

While Confessions of a Corporate Slut deals with the complexities of the life of a corporate wife, the backdrop is based in a corporate environment and highlights the unique way it colors the professional woman and her view of marriage.